The Original Brian Eno U.S. CD Releases on EG

As a collector and seller of first editions of CD's, I often see the Brian Eno CD releases catalogued incorrectly. Many people who have the 'Marketed and Distributed by Caroline Records' releases which were released in the United States and Canada in the late 1980's may be surprised to learn that these CD's are reissues; in fact, the entire catalogue of Brian Eno's classic LPs from 1973 to 1986 were originally released onto CD in the U.S. up to four years earlier by a small label located in South Plainfield, New Jersey, called JEM Records. 

From 1983 to 1988 EG Records were released in the U.S. by JEM Records. When EG Records in the U.K. released its first compact disc, Brian Eno's Thursday Afternoon (EGCD 64) in 1985, it was also released in the U.S. by JEM.

A landmark release,  Thursday Afternoon was a 61-minute single track which was perfect for the compact disc format. This original U.S. release can be identified by the 'Marketed by JEM Records, Inc.' copyright info on the bottom left hand corner, and back cover's absence of a barcode. The CD itself was made in France by M.P.O.

The following year, 1986, was a banner year for Eno, as EG Records released two Eno compilations, More Blank Than Frank on LP and Desert Island Selection on CD (EGCD 65), to tie in with the Rick Polydor/Brian Eno book More Dark Than Shark. 

Once again, the original U.S. version has the 'Marketed by JEM Records, Inc.' copyright info on the back cover, and no barcode. The CD was made in England by Nimbus.


Starting January 1987, EG Records began releasing the entire Brian Eno back catalogue (along with other EG roster artists Roxy Music, King Crimson, Killing Joke, etc.) onto CD (using both EG and Editions EG imprints), and JEM Records remained the sole U.S. distributor. This first wave of Brian Eno releases can be identified the same way as Thursday Afternoon and Desert Island Selection -  'Marketed by JEM Records' on the back cover, as well as no barcode:

No Pussyfooting (with Robert Fripp) (EEGCD 2)    

CD made by Disctec.          

Fourth World Vol 1 (with Jon Hassell) (EEGCD7)

CD made by Disctec.

Ambient 1 Music For Airports (EEGCD 17)

CD made in England by Nimbus.

Ambient 2 The Plateaux of Mirror (with Harold Budd) (EEGCD 18)

CD made in Japan.

Ambient 4 On Land (EEGCD 20)

CD made in England by Nimbus.

Apollo Atmospheres & Soundtracks (EGCD 53)

CD made in England by Nimbus.

Another Green World (EGCD 21)

CD made in Sweden by CD Plant.

Before and After Science (EGCD 32)

CD made in Sweden by CD Plant.

Later that same year, UPC codes began to appear on all compact discs in Europe and the U.S. The Eno CDs released by EG in the United States were now 'Marketed by PARAS. Distibuted by JEM Records'. All of these and subsequent CD's were 'Made in U.S.A.'

Ambient 3 Day of Radiance (Laraaji) (EEGCD 19)

Here Come the Warm Jets (EGCD 11)

Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) (EGCD 17)

Music For Films (EEGCD 5)

There is an anomaly of sorts, a rare merging of the past and present marketing hierarchy at JEM Records -- this version of the Harold Budd/Brian Eno CD 'The Pearl' (EEGCD  37). While it too has 'Marketed by PARAS. Distributed by JEM' on the back cover, it is the only such release without a barcode. All the other ones listed above have barcodes.

By 1988 JEM Records was clearly in financial trouble, as eventually Passport Records stepped in to help release the remaining back catalogue Eno CD's, of which there were just two:

 Evening Star (with Robert Fripp) (EEGCD 3)

The back CD cover of Evening Star states it is 'Marketed by Passport Records. Distributed by JEM.' The below CD Discreet Music, meanwhile, has on its back cover 'A Passport Label. Marketed by P.A.R.A.S. Distributed by JEM.' Both of these releases have barcodes.

 Discreet Music (EEGCD 23) 

Sometime shortly after these final releases by Passport/JEM, JEM Records folded and Caroline Records took over the U.S. distribution of all the EG back catalogue. This made sense, since Caroline was owned by Virgin Records; and Virgin was already marketing EG Records releases in the UK. By 1991 Virgin bought out EG Records and began releasing every release from EG's rich back catalogue in the U.S. and Europe.

Over the years, it has become increasingly difficult to find the original EG & Editions EG CD's marketed and released by JEM Records, and now that Astralwerks, also owned by Virgin/EMI,  has taken over the Eno back catalogue, I imagine the 1989 Caroline reissues will be difficult to find, too. Personally, I have always been partial to these original EG/JEM releases, as I remember eagerly waiting for the next Eno CD to be put out onto CD.

So the next time you come across a EG Records CD by Brian Eno, Roxy Music, King Crimson, or Robert Fripp, check out the back cover. If you see the iconic JEM Records logo, pick it up, as you've come across a true collectable!